Portable whirlpool bath device



May 15, 1962 w. KAPNICK ETAL 3,034,139

PORTABLE WHIRLPOOL BATH DEVICE Filed Oct. 2, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

j '6 INVENTORS.

WILLARD KAPNICK WILLIAM F? FERNALD WSW ATT'YS May 15, 1962 w. KAPNICK ETAL 3,034,139

PORTABLE WHIRLPOOL BATH DEVICE Filed Oct. 2, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG? TER

MOTOR F,

% PUMP TIMER l9 REVERSING MOTOR INVENTORS: WILLARD KAPNlCK WILLIAM FERNALD M ATT'YS 3,034,139 PORTABLE WHIRLPOOL EATH DEVICE Willard Kapnick, 4638 Broadway, and William P. Fernaid, 4700 N. Racine, both of Chicago, Ill. Filed Oct. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 142,067 Claims. (Cl. 4-178) This invention relates to portable whirlpool bath de vices used for hydrotherapeutic treatment of certain types of physical ailments.

It is well known that certain physical ailments or conditions of the human body respond to hydrotherapeutic treatment through the use of What is commonly referred to as whirlpool baths. The equipment for such treatment involves a container of water with facilities for effecting the vigorous circulation of the water within the container. As a rule such equipment is available onlyin hospitals, clinics and/or doctors offices. Generally, the container is in the nature of a bathtub dimensioned to accommodate the entire body of the patient. Means are provided for causing a forced unidirectional circulatory movement of the water around the patient reclining in the container.

Beneficial results of such hydrotherapeutic treatments often depend upon the frequency with which they are taken over a period of time. Obviously, this makes repeated trips of a patient to the hospital, clinic and/ or doctors office a subject of considerable inconvenience and/ or expense. For that reason the frequency of treatments may be curtailed much over the minimum required for the best interests of the patient.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved whirlpool bath device especially adapted for use by a patient in the home; to provide an improved form of conveniently-portable whirlpool bath device; to provide improved means for positively controlling the timed duration of a recurring reverse cyclical flow of the water in the container; to provide an improved portable, home-use whirlpool bath device with attached timecontrolled water circulating means so compactly structured and assembled as to make its manufacture economical, its use more facile than prior types and the results equally elfective, if not more so, as that obtainable with any of the devices heretofore available, and to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction and operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

In the adaptation shown in the accompanying drawings;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved whirlpool bath device constructed in accordance with this invention, a part of the container wall being broken away to indicate the arrangement of the water ports in the bottom of the container devised to secure the whirling how of water in the container.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective of the device shown in FIG. 1 indicating the arrangement of the motor-driven pump-means for circulating the water through the container.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are horizontal, sectional views of the container shown in FIG. 1, taken just above the bottom of the container, and indicating how the arrangement of the water ports insure the reversal of the whirling water flow in the container;

3,034,139 Patented May 15, 1952 FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the dual motor-driven pump-means shown in FIG. 2 and indicating the electrical connections thereto;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the timer-controlled electrical circuit which regulates the periodic alternate operation of the dual pump-means;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of whirlpool device constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are horizontal sectional views of the adaptation shown in FIG. 7, taken just above the bottom of the container, and indicating the arrangement of water ports for effecting the reversal of the whirling water flow in the container; and

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the timer-controlled reversible motor-driven pump for causing the reverse cyclical flow of water in the container.

The essential concept of this invention involves a container mounted on legs and suspending from its bottom timer-controlled motor-driven pump-means connected to container inlet and outlet ports to permit use of the device for predetermined periods of reversible cyclical water flow in the container, all the parts being dimensioned and compactly arranged to permit ready portability by the user thereof.

A whirlpool bath device embodying the foregoing concept comprises a container 11 mounted on legs 12 and having the hereinafter explained water-flow ports in the bottom 13 and suspending from the bottom 13 motordriven pump means 14 the operation of which is controlled by timer mechanism 16. The invention resides in the concept for their assembly to provide a compact portable whirlpool bath for use in the home by a patient as he feels the need therefor in the treatment of some physical ailment amelioration of which is effected by the vigorous whirling of temperatured water about the affected areas of the body, most often the legs and arms, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction to thoroughly massage the part treated.

The container 11, obviously, could be any available or specially-formed article. The herein shown container 11 is a metal unit conventionally marketed as a footbath tub. As here shown it is substantially elliptical in contour with upwardly-tapering walls and of a depth approximately the same as its width but a bit more than its length. It is formed with reinforcing rim 17 and ribs 18. i i

The legs 12 here are shown of tapered form terminating in conventional friction pads 19; The legs .12 are anchored to the container bottom 13 and angled outwardly therefrom'to insure non-tipping stability to the container. The legs 12 are of a length to support the container 11 either on the floor, at a height most convenient for placing ones feet and ankles in the container when one is sitting on a chair, or on a stand or table, at a height most convenient for one to repose an arm and/ or a hand in the container 12 when one is sitting on an ad- I iacent stool or chair.

A slightly different arrangement of the water flow ports characterize the two adaptations of this whirlpool bath device, as is clearly indicated in FIGS. 1-6 and 7-10, respectively. R I

In either adaptation, a pair of ports 21 are arranged diametrically opposite each other in the container bottom 13. As herein shown, these ports'zl are in the form of conventional pipe elbows of the male-female thread type, positioned with their horizontally-disposed restricted openings in the same direction substantially normal to the longer diameter of the container 11.. These port openings are spaced a short distance above the container bottom 13. It shouldbe obvious that a jet flow water action is most desired.

In the adaptation shown in FIGS. 1-6 these ports 21 always serve for both the inlet and outlet of water to the container 11, the water issuing from one or the other as pressured by one or the other of the individual pumps,

of the dual motor-driven pump-means 14-, under the control of the timer mechanism 16.

With this pair of ports 21, in the adaptation of FIGS. 1-6, is a pair of outlet ports 22 located in the Container bottom 13 respectively intermediate the inlet ports 21 and likewise closely adjacent the vertical wall of the container 11. Water is drawn from the container 11 by one or the other of the individual pumps of the motor-driven pump-means 14, through the outlet port 22 which is circumferentially at the greatest distance from the inlet port 21 through which water is being injected under high pressure into the container 11, as'indicated by the arrows V opposed curved walls of the container 11 creates a rotary movement of the water in the container. The amount of water-ejected through the port 21 is'equal to the amount of water drawn by the suction side of the pump 14 from the other port 21 tothe pump-means- 14. The nature of a this flow is of course whirling or whirl-pool action.

The motor-driven pump-means 14, in either of the adaptations, comprises conventional fractional motors di- This improved Whirlpool device is ing manner: 7 1

The device is placed on the floor or on a bench or table according to the desires of the patient using the device. A quantity of water, properly temperatured, is placed in the receptacle 11 up to a level about as indi cated in FIG. 7. The plug 29 is inserted into an appropriate wall receptacle or extension cord to obtain a source of current supply. Immediately, the motor-driven pumpmeans 14 is activated, and continues for any desired length of time as determined by the timer 16, to eiiect a periodic reversing cyclical flow of water in the interior of the container 11.

' It should now be obvious that the end result to be accomplished by this invention is to achieve a portable hydrotherapeutic device which will, by alternately changing the direction of flow of water under pressure in the tank, in a timed relationship, cause effective treatment of the parts of the hum-an body disposed in the tank interior.

It is to be understood that details of the device may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention.

We claim: 7

1. A whirlpool bath device comprising, a container having water inlet and outlet positioned to efllect a whirling flow of water in the container, motor-driven pumpmeans connected to the container ports, and timer-actuated electrical-control mechanism associated withsaid motor-driven pump-means for causing timed reverse cycliused in the followcal whirling flow of the water-under high pressure in said rcctly connectedto the pumps. A fan 25 on each motor 4o shaft operating within a shield may be used to keep the motor from overheating during an extended use.

In the adaptation shown in FIGS. 1-6, the two pumps are connected 'by suitablejet nozzles and fittings each to one of the ports 21 and one of the ports 22, so that one pump is used in connection with one set of water inlet. and outlet ports while the other pump is used with the other set of inlet and outlet ports.

In the adaptation shown in FIGS. 7-10 the one pump of the'motor-driven pump-means 14 is connected by conventional pipe nipples and fittings to the two jet ports 21, whereby a reversal of the single pump caused by reversing the motor 14 likewise causesa reverse in-andout flow of water through the respective ports 21, as shown by the arrows inFIGS. 8 and 9.

The timer-mechanism 16 is one or another of two types conventionally available on the open market.

For the adaptation shown in FIGS. 1-6 the form and functioning of the timer mechanism 16 is indicated in FIG. 6.. This comprises a three-pole microswitch 23 and a timer'26' motor mounting a cam 26 eccentrically positioned to alternatelycontact and release a pin 27 to alternate the microswitch 23 .to control the circuit to one cause areversing current flow to the reversible motorof the pump-means 14.

Current for the motor-driven pump-means 14 is provided through a cord ZS terminating in a plug 29 for connection ,to a conventional wall receptacle or an extension cord, and an on-ofl switch 30 may be placed in the circuit. r

container.

2. A whirlpool bath device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the container is substantially elliptical in contour and supported on legs, the container'and legs being respectively dimensioned to make the device conveniently portable 3. A portable whirlpool bath device comprising, a container of substantially elliptical contour (a) supported on legs,

(b) dimensioned for convenient positioning therein of a patients legs or arms,

(c) having water inlet and outlet ports in the bottom disposed to insure a whirling flowof water in the container,

motor-driven pump-means (a) suspended from the bottom of the container and (b) connected to the container ports, and

time-actuated electrical-control mechanism connected to the motor-driven pump-'neans for eflfecting a timed reverse cyclical whirling flow of Water in the container.

4. A portable whirlpool bath device comprising, a container of substantially elliptical contour (a) supported on legs,

(b) dimensioned for convenient positioning therein of a patients legs or arms,

a pair of horizontally-open water-inlet ports diametricaliy positioned and disposed above the bottom of the container,

a pair of vertically-open water-outlet ports in the container bottom intermediate the inlet ports,

motor-driven pump-means (a) suspended from the bottom of the container and (b) connected to the container ports, and

timer-actuated electrical-control mechanism connected to the motor-driven pump-means for effecting a timed reverse cyclical whirling flow of water in the container. i

5. A portable whirlpool bath-device comprising, a container of substantiallyelliptical contour,

(a) supported on legs,

'(b) dimensioned for convenient positioning therein of a patients legs or arms,

a pair of diametrically-positioned ports in the bottom of the container opening horizontally above the container bottom, in the same direction substantially normal to the longer dimension of the container,

a reversible pump (a) suspended from the bottom of the container and (12) connected to the container ports,

a reversible electrical motor connected to operate the pump, and

time-actuated electrical-control mechanism connected to the motor for effecting a timed reverse cyclical whirling fiow of water in the container.

References Cited infthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Austria May 27, 195 8 

